1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a crate assembly. More specifically, the present invention provides a container assembly including a crate assembly and method for transporting articles of commerce, such as transformers and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A patentability investigation was conducted and the following U.S. Patents were discovered: U.S. Pat. No. 2,692,064 to Koester; U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,855 to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,855 to Weingarten; U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,922 to Rowley; U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,277 to Fourie et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,747 to Decroix et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,338 to Gigsby; U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,334 to Przytulla et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,392 to Schutz.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,692,064 to Koester, teaches a shipping container for the storage and the transportation of articles. The container has a pair of straps such that each end and side section of the container is individually braced.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,855 to Smith, teaches a reinforced container having metal bands secured to the container and the pallet.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,557,855 to Weingarden, teaches a rectangular collapsed double mail carrier having a pair of cable members which limit the outward movement of the end panels.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,922 to Rowley, teaches a container for shipping glass sheets. The container includes elongated tensions members which increases the glass supporting strength of the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,277 to Fourie et al., teaches a pallet having posts secured thereto. Each post is positioned between the ends of a respective wall. The posts are joined to one another by strips of a laminated paper material such as that which is used to form the so-called slip sheet of an unpalletized loaded.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,058,747 to Decroix et al., teaches a transport and storage container. The container is provided with pallet feet so it can be handled by a fork-lift truck.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,069,338 to Gigsby, teaches a reinforced corrugated container. U.S. Pat. No. '338 more particularly teaches a support pad of semi-rigid material for protecting contents of corrugated containers, and a pallet having a plurality of sockets with each socket receiving a vertical cleat attached to the corrugated container.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,334 to Przytulla et al., teaches a pallet container for storage and transport of liquid contents. The container includes an inner container of thermoplastic material and a support jacket.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,392 to Schutz, teaches a pallet container which may be used for the transport and storage of liquids. The container has an outer jacket made of criss-crossing vertical and horizontal lattice bars. The container contains an inner container. The inner container, along with a support insert storage and the outer jacket, are supported by a steel pallet. The steel pallet contains a storage space for the outer jacket and the support insert in a collapsed state.
None of the foregoing prior art teaches a crate assembly which is capable of shipping articles of commerce and being quickly disassembled in a period of time that is desired by today's shippers and receivers. Therefore, what is needed and what has been invented is a crate assembly. What is further needed and what has been invented is a method for transporting articles of commerce, such as transformers and the like.